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“Let me give an example. A number of years ago the IMF and the World Bank foisted on the city of Dar es Salaam a water privatisation programme [see below]. This turned out to be a total disaster from which Tanzania and the city of Dar es Salaam have been trying to recover. The Minister [for finance, Brian Cowen] made specific reference to the provision of clean water in his speech. Much of the provision of clean water, as provided for by many of the directives of the IMF and World Bank, is via the privatisation of public water supplies. Does the Department of Finance have a position on money used for water programmes where the condition attached to such programmes is the privatisation of the supply?”

Joan Bruton in the Dáil, October 2006.

Good times.

Via Oireachtas.ie

Water Privatisation in Dar Es Salaam?

(Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland)

Thanks Bonzer

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Berkeley Road, Dublin 7.

Ludicrous and unnecessarily scary Dramatic Scenes following the transport of a woman from her home in Tyrrelstown, Dublin to the Mater Hospital with symptoms apparently consistent with ebola.

Leon writes:

“Gardai and ambulance crews shut down Berkeley Road in a suspected Ebola case. The HSE has since confirmed the lady was tested for the deadly virus, though was given the all-clear. Witnesses reported that ambulance crew, and other staff wore protective gear throughout the investigation. Large areas surrounding the hospital were shut-down in accordance with procedures outlined by Health Minister…”

Previously: Everyone Stay Cool

(Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland)

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Finally.

The re-issue of a timeless classic.

A gift to pass on to the children of the future.

Or to sit beside the Harpic in your ironic loo book collection.

Geraldine Feehily of O’Brien Press writes:

“Today is the official publication date for the 25th Anniversary Edition of The Fridge in a Denim Jacket by Zig and Zag. It’s full of ridiculously zany jokes and handy tips for life, like how to master Zogspeak and how to recognise a Green Wibbly Wobbly Monster. We Have SIX copies to giveaway to six Broadsheet readers judged the best at completing the sentence below:

“A childhood without Zig and Zag is like _________________________________’

Lines MUST close at 5.45pm

The Fridge In A Denim Jacket (Zig and Zag, O’Brien Press)

No cash, favours, bukes, etc given for this post other than de prizes.

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Furniture maker and sculptor James McNabb’s exhibition, Metros at the Robert Fontaine gallery in Miami.

Of his impressive work, which he describes as ‘sketching with a bandsaw’, McNabb sez:

I compare hyperrealistic painting to fine woodworking. Both are slow, tedious, detail oriented process that require great care and consideration through every stage of making. In contrast, I compare my style of rapid bandsaw mark making to the fast paced nature of spray can art. It’s my attempt at “urban woodworking”.

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He’s such a similar sounding/looking man.

Samuel T Herring, lead singer of US indie band Future Islands and dancing Letterman guest ‘performs’ Joe Dolan’s ballroom belter ‘You’re Such A Good Looking Woman’.

We’re not in Mullingar anymore.

Previously: Uncertain Future

Thanks Cían Flynn 

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Rezoning plans (top) and an extract from the Moriarty Tribunal Report

Actio Non Accrevit writes:

“The NAMA Act 2009 as amended by Section 25 of the Finance Act 2010 provided that where land was sold on or after 30 October 2009, and the land in question had been re-zoned since 30 October 2009, then CGT at a rate of 80% applied to any increase in the market value of the land which is attributable to rezoning, which could not be offset against capital losses incurred on the disposal of other assets.

This was known as the Windfall Tax and was applauded by Justice Michael Moriarty in his tribunal findings as a dramatic measure to reduce corruption.

One little-discussed change in Budget 2015 was the repeal of this tax, which had been been strongly and persistently criticised by persons working in the property industry as a serious obstacle to the development of new housing. Although they would say that in circumstances where rezoning and greater capital gains made by developers benefit property professionals generally….

However, is this really true in circumstances where there is already no shortage of land zoned for residential development? According to the  Society of Chartered Surveyors there is already enough land zoned for housing in greater Dublin to build 100,000 dwellings.

What is clear is that the ‘windfall tax’ has been quietly abolished and the risk of rezoning corruption is back on the table again. The more people who know about this, the better chance we have of preventing such corruption…Thank you.”

Thanks Ossian Smyth

Broadsheet.ie